Andrea Anderson Polk: How To Learn To Finally Love Yourself

Set boundaries and use your voice effectively — Good boundaries are objective, simple, and clear. Setting a boundary is an action or behavior change on your part. For example, stop doing everything for other people and neglecting yourself. Perhaps it’s the grocery, the homework, the carpool, the bill budgeting, household chores, or talking to extended family. Knowing your limitations and setting boundaries prevents you from having to participate in unhealthy relationships, situations, and behaviors as well as allowing people to take advantage of you.

As a part of our series about “How To Learn To Finally Love Yourself” I had the pleasure to interview Andrea Anderson Polk.

Andrea Anderson Polk is a respected professional counselor, published author, and keynote speaker who leverages more than a decade of clinical experience, illuminating storytelling and deep compassion to help people uncover truths, break free from harmful behavior and relationships, and celebrate newfound freedom. She is a licensed professional counselor, a certified professional coach, is nationally certified, and has served as president and vice president of Northern Virginia Licensed Professional Counselors (NVLPC). She is a registered supervisor for the Virginia Board of Counseling where she works with counseling candidates who are pursuing their professional licenses. Additionally, Andrea holds a ministerial diploma and has a deep understanding of theology. Andrea has a private practice counseling individuals and couples. Andrea recently published her first book, The Cuckoo Syndrome (Forefront/Simon & Shuster). Andrea lives in McLean, Virginia, with her husband and best friend, Dan.

Thank you so much for joining us! I’d love to begin by asking you to give us the backstory as to what brought you to this specific career path.

Decades ago, my healing coincided with my parents’ divorce, which landed me in counseling…